, congratulated himself on having made our acquaintance, and
begged permission to call and renew the offer of his services. He went
off next morning with M. de T----, who accepted the offer of a seat in
his carriage.

"I felt, as I before said, not the slightest symptom of jealousy I had
a more foolish confidence than ever in Manon's vows. This dear
creature had so absolute a dominion over my whole soul and affections,
that I could give place to no other sentiment towards her than that of
admiration and love. Far from considering it a crime that she should
have pleased young G---- M----, I was gratified by the effect of her
charms, and experienced only a feeling of pride in being loved by a
girl whom the whole world found so enchanting. I did not even deem it
worth while to mention my suspicions to her. We were for some days
occupied in arranging her new wardrobe, and in considering whether we
might venture to the theatre without the risk of being recognised. M.
de T---- came again to see us before the end of the week, and we
consulted him upon this point. He saw clearly that the way to please
Manon was to say yes: we resolved to go all together that same evening.

"We were not able, however, to carry this intention into effect; for,
having taken me aside, 'I have been in the greatest embarrassment,'
said he to me, 'since I saw you, and that is the cause of my visiting
you today. G---- M---- is in love with your mistress: he told me so in
confidence; I am his intimate friend, and disposed to do him any
service in my power; but I am not less devoted to you; his designs
appeared to me unjustifiable, and I expressed my disapprobation of
them; I should not have divulged his secret, if he had only intended to
use fair and ordinary means for gaining Manon's affections; but he is
aware of her capricious disposition; he has learned, God knows how,
that her ruling passion is for affluence and pleasure; and, as he is
already in possession of a considerable fortune, he declared his
intention of tempting her at once with a present of great value, and
the offer of an annuity of six thousand francs; if I had in all other
points considered you both in an equal light, I should have had perhaps
to do more violence to my feelings in betraying him: but a sense of
justice as well as of friendship was on your side, and the more so from
having been myself the imprudent, though unconscious, cause of his
passion in introducing him her